A former top Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) official was arrested on charges Wednesday as federal prosecutors unveiled sweeping new allegations that donated money was allegedly secretly funneled to extremists and used for activities including recruiting members, staging rallies and buying materials for Ku Klux Klan robes and cross burnings.Heidi Beirich, 59, of Palm Springs, California, was charged alongside the SPLC with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to submit false statements to a federally insured bank.The second superseding indictment also charges Beirich with a conspiracy to commit concealed money laundering.Beirich was served with an arrest warrant Wednesday morning, according to the U.S.
Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Alabama.Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed the arrest during a news conference Wednesday in Washington, D.C., and said the federal investigation remains ongoing.FIRST ON FOX: SPLC'S TAX-EXEMPT STATUS UNDER THREAT AFTER FIERY CAPITOL HILL HEARINGU.S.Attorney General Todd Blanche speaks during a news conference at the Justice Department on Wednesday in Washington, D.C.
(Getty Images)"I think, as alleged in the indictment, this individual participated in the scheme as alleged," Blanche said."I believe she was part of the effort to open bank accounts and complete fictitious companies names and make payments that to individuals for reasons that were not, that were not accurate as described."FBI Director Kash Patel also weighed in on the news via X, writing that Beirich was at the "center" of the bureau's ongoing investigation."As alleged, Heidi Beirich was at the center of our ongoing investigation into SPLC and their previously alleged criminal activity - where SPLC knowingly misled donors, who believed their money was being used to dismantle violent extremist organizations - when in fact, part of those donations were instead being used to pay senior leadership within those extremist groups," Patel wrote.Th...